NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine — Four years ago, a beloved sheriff's deputy from Somerset County died in the line of duty.
On April 25, 2022, people from around the state remember the life of Cpl. Eugene Cole, who was fatally shot in 2018.
The town of Norridgewock, where Cole was killed, officially named April 25 Cpl. Eugene Cole Day to make sure his legacy is never forgotten.
"[The day is] not to dwell on the darkness of the past but to take it and move forward in a positive light, to make an impact in our community and the surrounding region in Gene's memory," Norridgewock Town Manager Richard Labelle said.
Labelle said folks are encouraged to volunteer and help out the community to make it a better place, just as Cole did.
"He was very loving, and he had a big heart," said Cole's brother Tom. "I just miss the talks. He would always stop over for a cup of coffee, and he'd talk about his kids and grandkids."
"I am grateful for Cpl. Cole Day," Cole's wife, Sheryl, wrote in a statement to NEWS CENTER Maine. "It gives time to remind us all of the kind, gracious and respectful people we all can be. That's why the road named in honor of Gene is called 'The Corporal Eugene Cole Way,' so everyone who travels it and sees the signs will be reminded to live life his way, the Cpl. Cole way."
She went on to encourage everyone to be kind, help one another and respect each other. She said her family will never forget the outpouring of support from the community that stretches far and wide.
Cole's children also sent statements to NEWS CENTER Maine:
"Cpl. Cole Day is not only a day for remembrance, it’s a day for accountability. Accountability is one of the most important aspects of living a meaningful life. Accountability is nothing more than doing the things you know you should do, solving your own problems, and helping others with theirs, and owning every decision you make.” – David Cole, son
“Corporal Cole Day to me is a day of sadness and pain because it was the day I lost my hero, my father. It is also a day that I saw a community band together and stand with my family, doing any and everything they could to help. So make this day, a day of remembrance, a day to hold your loved ones a little tighter, to help your neighbors and community, and to pay it forward as my dad did every day.” – Joe Cole, son
“Cpl. Cole Day to me means pride in duty when giving back to the community, and never giving up on the people in your life.” – Phil Cole, son
Cole's last morning
On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, 61-year-old Cpl. Eugene Cole began his shift as a sheriff's deputy.
The devastating morning began to unfold around 7:30 a.m., when Norridgewock resident, Kimberly Sirois, heard swarming helicopters and stepped out into her yard on Mercer Road.
It was there that she discovered Cole's body with a gunshot wound to his head.
Sirois began screaming to notify the police, who came running over.
"I said, 'I found your officer. He’s in my yard,'" Sirois recalled.
Amid the community's shock, a national manhunt kicked in for the suspect, 29-year-old John Williams.
The four-day search
Kimberly Sirois was horrified to learn she had a personal connection to Cpl. Eugene Cole's accused killer, John Williams. She told police he lived with her for years but that she told him to leave around Christmas of 2017.
"He was certainly struggling with addiction," Sirois explained.
The last time she saw Williams was shortly after his run-in with police in Massachusetts, where he was wanted for drug and weapon charges.
It was the same day as the shooting death of Cole.
After a four-day search, Williams was captured by police near a cabin deep in the woods behind a home along Route 139 in Norridgewock.
Williams is serving a life sentence for the killing of Cole.
Other stories NEWS CENTER Maine is following: